How to solve the problems of recruiting governors remotely

Ahead of the AoC Governance Professionals Conference, Naomi Shoffman, Director of Governance from Stanmore College shares her observations in regards to moving Governors’ inductions online. This article focuses on utilising technology to induct new governors and suggests ways to keep new recruits engaged on a personal level.

Utilising virtual tours

Sending new Governors on a virtual tour of the college prior to the induction is an effective way of inducting them remotely. Quite a few Governors were appointed during lockdown, and although it can be hard if they haven’t physically been in the building, a virtual tour will help them to get an understanding of the buildings and surroundings. It’s important to make use of existing resources, which can often be obtained from the college’s marketing and communications team.

How to keep potential recruits engaged

It can be hard to engage people for long periods of time virtually and it can feel very formal. It is better to conduct initial meetings on a 1:1 basis, to ensure that every new Governor gets a personalised approach. Following on from this meeting it is then possible to develop a personalised development programme.

In virtual meetings we lose the ability to read people’s body language effectively. Therefore, it is even more important to obtain clarity from the new Governor to ensure they have understood your conversation and allow sufficient time for questions.

Preparing for a virtual meeting

It is important to make sure that they have had time to prepare for the virtual meeting. The meeting should be used as an opportunity to go over the core materials and get to know them on a deeper level.

Lastly and importantly make sure that you are confident with which IT systems you are using and ensure that they are confident as well.

The AoC provide recruiting solutions for the FE sector. Learn more about how AoC Services can help with sourcing college governers.